Maricopa Family Support Alliance ACEs in the School Setting Marcia Stanton, MSW August 11, 2017

Scientific Advances Are driving a paradigm shift in understanding how child development impacts human health and disease across the lifespan

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study “Probably the most important public health study you never heard of.” ACEs sometimes referred to as toxic stress or childhood trauma Slide 3- What are ACES? 3

Your Awareness of ACE Study? - No Knowledge of ACE Research - Some Knowledge - More Than Most - Expert Slide 5 - Ask audience by a show of hands to rate their awareness of the ACE Study. Next distribute the ACE questionnaire. This survey is a condensed version of the actual research tool used.

ACEs Primer Video https://vimeo.com/139998006

Many Other Types of Trauma New Research is Examining: Bullying Homelessness Growing Up in Foster Care Extreme Illness or Injury Historical Trauma Community Violence

National Survey of Children’s Health Telephone survey Tracks parent report of their children’s ACEs (does not include child maltreatment or neglect) 2011/12 data http://www.childhealthdata.org

Arizona Children Ethnic minority children have disproportionately higher share of 6+ ACEs Estimated 69,213 have 5+ ACEs

Arizona Children, 0 – 17 (2011/2012 National Survey of Children’s Health) No ACEs - 42 % One ACE - 26 % Two + ACEs - 31 % (Natl. average: 22 %)

Arizona Children ages 12 – 17 (2011/2012 National Survey of Children’s Health) 44% have experienced two or more ACEs (Natl. average 30%)

ACEs in AZ Kids Estimated AZ kids with 5 or more ACEs

AZ Kids with 5+ ACES Would Fill University of Phoenix Stadium

Or, Equal Population of Flagstaff

Presence of Emotional, Behavioral or Developmental Needs

AZ Children Overweight or Obese

Missed 11 or More Days of School

Repeated 1 or More Grades

2016 Arizona Youth Survey http://www. azcjc. gov/ACJC 8th, 10th & 12th Graders All Counties Over 57,000 Responses 249 Schools

2016 AZ Youth Survey http://www. azcjc. gov/ACJC Adults Insulted You – 53% Parents Separated or Divorced – 47% Alcoholic – 25% Incarceration - 23% Adults Who Fought – 23% Drug User – 17%

ACEs in AZ Adults (BRFSS) 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

AZ ACEs by County

Impact of Stress on Children Flight, fight or freeze response Short attention span Struggle learning; fall behind in school Respond to world as constant danger Distrustful of adults Unable to develop healthy peer relationships Feel failure, despair

ACEs in the Classroom Greatest single predictor for health, attendance and behavior Second strongest predictor, (after special education status), for academic failure

“Dropouts Cost AZ $7.6 Billion” The Arizona Republic, June 26, 2014 AZ Dept. of Education: 22 percent of Arizona 9th graders will not finish high school By 2018, more than 60 percent of jobs in AZ will require some post-secondary education

ACEs are a Pipeline to Prison Childhood and Adult Trauma Experiences of Incarcerated Persons and Their Relationship to Adult Behavioral Health Problems and Treatment) Intl. Journal of Environ Res Public Health. 2012 May; 9(5): 1908–1926. Published online 2012 May 18. Healing Invisible Wounds: Why Investing in Trauma-Informed Care for Children Makes Sense.  

Children exposed to 5+ significant adversities in first 3 years face a 76% likelihood of having one or more delays in development.

ACEs in Foster Care More than half of kids reported for child abuse experienced 4 or more ACEs by time of contact with child welfare More than 90% referred to child welfare have experienced multiple ACEs (Nat’l Survey Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), No. 20: Adverse Child Experiences in NSCAW, 2013)

Children who have experienced 4 or more ACEs are three times as likely to take ADHD medication when compared with children with less than four ACEs (Ruiz "How Childhood Trauma Could Be Mistaken for ADHD", The Atlantic, 7 July 2014)

Trauma in the Classroom Classrooms are Designed for Regulated Kids 1/3 of Kids have Trauma Can’t Teach Kids in Dysregulation Kids Can’t Reflect on Their Behaviors Until They are Regulated “Universal Precautions”

Federal Class Action Lawsuit Peter. P. vs. Compton Unified School District Alleges District failed to recognize and address trauma-induced disabilities Therefore denied legal right to equal education

Compassionate Schools Movement http://traumasensitiveschools School-wide Policies & Practices Classroom Strategies Links to Mental Health Services Family Partnerships Community Links

Moving Towards Healing TRAUMA ORGANIZED TRAUMA INFORMED HEALING ORGANIZATION Reactive Shared Language Reflective Reliving/Retelling Foundational Collaborative Avoiding/Numbing Understanding of Trauma Culture of Learning Fragmentation Understanding of the Making Meaning out of Nature and Impact of Trauma the Past Growth and Prevention Oriented From TRAUMA INDUCING to TRAUMA REDUCING

ACEs Connection Network http://www.acesconnection.com/

Free Online Learning Modules Trauma-Sensitive Schools: http://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/mental-health/trauma/modules Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Students: https://pll.asu.edu/p/class/understandingtheimpactoftraumaonstudents Supporting Trauma-Exposed Students: https://pll.asu.edu/p/node/212320

Changing Minds Campaign https://changingmindsnow.org/ Inspire Celebrate Comfort Listen Collaborate

Promoting Resilience Tipping the Scale

Resilience

At Least 1 Stable, Caring and Supportive Relationship

Building Sense of Mastery over Their Life Circumstances

Strong Executive Function and Self-Regulation Skills

Affirming Faith or Cultural Traditions

6 Things Research Shows Effective Dealing with Effects of Stress Sleep Exercise Nutrition Mindfulness Mental Health Interventions Healthy Relationships

Creating Trauma Sensitive Arizona Schools

If She Only Knew (3 min. 43 seconds) https://youtu.be/4bqYOksLRQM